25 Things to do in Spring for little or no money

February 22, 2017

Bright bursts of sunshine and hints of warmer days on the horizon, mixed with April showers and torrential downpour. The British weather in spring often means we don’t know what to do from one day to the next!Fear not, fellow parents, for I have compiled a list of fun things to do over the season for little or no money. And what’s better, is I’ve even categorised them for you. Have a look through, I’m sure there are a number of things you can find to do with your little people. Good luck and happy Springtime!

Things to do… In the garden

Plant a rainbow

– This will take some planning to find the right bulbs that flower at the right time but how delightful will it be when the flowers all bloom together and you see it take shape? In fact, forget the kids, I just want to do this one for me! Dawn Isaac has a fabulous one she created. You really should check it out. In fact, she shared a few ideas at a garden party I attended a couple of years back.. check them out

Start a veg patch. Fussy eaters? Get them involved in growing their own veg. Learning about where food comes from and the sense of achievement from watching things grow is a really good way of encouraging them to try new foods.

Start a ‘cut and come again’ salad colander. The RHS has a great suggestion of leafy salad plants that are suitable for thisand by planting them in a colander and hanging them up, you could have them dotted all over the garden. Even tomatoes grow well when hanging.

Make a butterfly feeder. A bottle top, some cotton wool, a paper plate a stick, some sugar water and bright colours are all you need for this one. Butterflies start appearing as soon as the weather starts to warm up so having some food handy for them is great! Decorate the paper plate in a flower shape as brightly and colourfully as you can. Glue the bottle top lid into the centre of the flower and then attach to a stick. Soak some cotton wool in the sugar water and place in the middle of the lid. plant the ‘flower’ so that its level with any flowers you already have and the butterflies should find the food.

Things to do… Out and about

Feed the ducks. If you time it right, you may even see some cute little fluffy babies!

Visit a PYO farm. Grab yourself some of those early crops or the last of the winter veg and see what ways you can cook or use them! Another great one for learning about where food comes from.

Go visit your local park or green space. We’re very lucky to live near Nene Park which is great for visiting any time of year. See what you have near you and check it out. Most of these places only charge for parking so bonus points if you find one close enough to walk to. Maybe even take a picnic!

Go to a local farm to see some baby animals. Many farms in springtime have open days and lambing events where the public are allowed to come and see their new arrivals. Some even let you have a go at holding new ducklings or feeding the lambs. What better way to teach your children about new life?

Things to do… Indoors

Brighten a room with Daffodils and Tulips. Brightly coloured spring flowers will add a touch of the season to brighten any room.

Write a letter to someone you haven’t seen for a while or someone you admire. Celebrities, favourite cartoon character, even a politician? What would you like to say to them?

Have a spring clean and a declutter. While you’re at it, why not hold a garage sale? Getting rid of lots of stuff you have lying around can feel like a new start. Perfect for this time of year!

Build a fort. Clothes horses, chairs, blankets, cushions, maybe even fairy lights. get everything together and see what you can come up with.

Make a wormery. Fill a glass jar with layers of sand, soil, damp shredded paper and leaves. Add some worms from the garden and then top with things like veg peelings, overripe fruit and tea leaves. Pierce holes in the jar lid and screw it on and then wrap a sleeve of black paper around the jar. Keep it somewhere cool and dark. Check on it from time to time to ensure the contents stay damp. Encourage your children to talk about what is happening in the jar. Once everything is composted, it can be used for planting too!

Things to do… With your craft supplies

Decorate some eggs for Easter. Glue, googly eyes, feathers, even paint or felt-tipped pens. Anything goes with Egg decorating. What designs can you come up with?

Make some eggy heads. Fill an empty egg shell with some damp cotton wool. Draw a face on the front and then scatter cress seeds in the top. Keep it damp and watch it for the next few days as it starts to sprout hair. You can also use other seeds to make micro herbs that you can cut and taste or use as flavourings such as Beetroot, Rocket, Radish and Coriander.

Paint a flower pot. Keep it ready for some new spring plants or give it as a gift for Mothers Day. Who wouldn’t want such a cute and personal gift?

Make a Tulip painting. Paint some green lines for stems from the bottom of a piece of paper, up to the middle. Dip the back of a fork in different bright paint colours and print at the top of the stems. Ta daaa! So simple but effective. They’d look lovely on an Easter or Mother’s Day card, too.

Things to do on… Rainy Days

Have a rainy photoshoot. How cute are those pictures with the bright umbrellas and wellies reflecting in the rain?! Grab your phone or camera and snap away!

Look for worms. Worms love rain and it always seems to bring them out. Perhaps get a small tub each and see who can catch the most. Just remember to put them back afterwards. (Or put them in the aforementioned wormery)

Things to do on… Sunny days

Spot the signs of spring. Go on a bike ride or a walk and see how many different signs of spring you can spot. New buds on trees, blossom, baby animals, etc. Make a list or maybe take some pictures.

Spot shapes in the clouds. What can you see up there? You could even do it again in the evening and look at the stars too.

Play some classic outdoor games. Tag, Hide and seek, Stuck in the mud, Hopscotch. Maybe even jump on google and learn a new one to play together.

Make a daisy chain.

Wash the car. If its warm enough, you could even turn it into a water fight when you’re done.

What are your favourite spring activities? What would you add to the list?

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Hello, l'm Leslie. I'm in my 30's, I live in Peterborough with my husband Liam and together we have 3 kids - a 5 year old, a toddler and a baby.
With this blog, I help parents teach their children valuable life skills so that they encourage independence and build confident, happy people.
I like cups of tea and sandwiches and I have a tattoo of a cabbage on my wrist.
I spend my days mostly running around after the aforementioned kids and picking up food from the floor while trying to find fun things for them to do.
We (read: they) like to get messy and explore (read: run off) and not eat the dinners I cook while I like to write about helping your child through school, and how to teach them life skills, as well writing product reviews and development updates. I'm always on the look out for more 'Mummy friends' so that I might get a conversation that is more than one way or that isn't about Bing, boogers or wiping bums.
Grab a cuppa and settle in. Mines milk & 2 if you're making!